Rotary engine.



`c. L. AND L. F. RAaoT.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I3. 1918.

Patented 1m16.191s.

N MEI ,I

I I .A III.

UNITEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. RAGO'I, 0F KEYPOBT, NEW JERSEY, AND LOUIS F. RAGOT, 0F MILFORD,

YENNSYLVA'NA. i

ROTARY ENGINE.

Application led September 13, 1918.

7 1o nl] '107mm 'it 'may concern.'

Be it known that we, CHARLES L. l-tAso'r, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Keyportj, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, and Louis F. Recor, also a. citizen of ,the United States, and a resident of Milford, in the county of Pike and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Iilngines, of which the following is a specification. i

Our invention relates to engines operated by fluid pressure and of that type in which there are a plurality of radially disposed cylinders, rotatably mounted in respect to a stationary7 track annular in form (preferably elliptical) and in the same plane, the pistons receiving their pressure or motive impulses to force tliein against and along said track. In an engine of this type, power is obtained by utilizin the reaction caused by the side pressure o .the piston against the cylinder walls resulting from the piston being 4caused to exert irradia-l pressure 'against the elliptical track ata Ipoint Wheresaid track recedes from the center. The resulting tangential pressure is translated into a rotary one by the bodily movement of the cylinders around the central axis. An engine of this type is ldisclosed inour prior Patent 1,088,- 623 issued February 24th, 1914:.

So far as certain broad features of our present invention are concerned, any motive fluid ma be employed, as for instance, a combusti 'le gas, steam, compressed air, or water or other 'liquid or gas" under pressure. Also the mechanism may be positively rotated from an. outside source of owerand used as apump or compressor or liquids or ases.

therV features o f.our inventionparticularly adapt it for yu-se as al steam or conn pressed' air engine; 'The axis of the rotor eing concentric with the elli tical track, it will be read-ily understoo that four strokes of each `iston are obtained in each revolution, ther -y -permitting'op' osed cylinders'tofperfornr thesame part o the cycle at the same time. v

One'of theiinain objectszo-'f our invention is to rovide' an improved mechanical con# struction whereby the maximum amount of power and servie-eis obtainable a unininium amount of s )ace and Weightfand a minimunrinimiber o simple, easily and inex- Specf'ioation of Letters Patent.

Patented Mayf, 1'919.

Serial No. 853,856.

pensivcly manufactured narts. In order to accomplish this We provide two sets ofradially disposed cylinders, the cylinders of one set being disposed adjacent to and parallel with the corresponding cylinders of the other set. The vtwo pistons of eac-h pair of cylindersarc connected 'intermediate-of their ends to aninterposed roller for engagement with the elli )tical track. This i use of a smaller track and larger rollers with a corresponding decrease in the number of revolutions of the roller and balanced lateral pressure of each piston in its cylinder. By placingthe axis of the roller opposite the center oi. the length o'f 'the iston, the side pressure is distributed throng lout the length of the piston and binding effects prevented The number of rollers compared to the number of cylinders is reduced.

A further object of our invention is to provide positive means for distributing the motive fluid to the Various cylinders in their consecutive order and at the proper time, and thereby causing` the two pistons olf-each pair to receive their ower impulses Simultaneously with the pistons of the opposed pair thereby insuring a perfect runni' balance, said means also affecting the ci aust in a corresponding manner.

A further object of our invention is to provide ini roved means whereby the reversal of tie direction of rotationcf the engine is eiciently, easily, and quickly accomplished.

In the accompanying drawings :we have illustrated one embodiment of our inwention but we wish it understood that this is to. -be considered in an illustrative rather than in a limiting sense as various ,details'of construction may be varied within wide limi-ts without' departing from the spiritor scope of our invention .as defined in the appended claims. A

In these drawings:

Figure 1 isa transverse elevation of the rotary engine with housin removed showing t e rotor in lace, di erent parts being in section on di erent lanes.

Fig. 2 is a sectional ongitudinal view on` une. '2 2 of Fig. 1.

Eig. .3 is an end elevation of the central portion of intake end of the engine showing one formof reversing mechanism.

Fig. iis-a sectional view of rotor on line i-4 ofFig. 1..

permits the Fig. 5 is'a'ulon itudina'l section of the disi'ributer at 900 rom the section shown in Fig. '2;l

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through center of rotor on line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an end view of a pair of cylinders with their pistons and roller in place.

. In the forml illustrated .there is Vrovided a stator frame l of any desired crm but preferably circular and having any suitable form of base or fastening members for mounting the same. This is provided With an elliptical track 2 which may be attached to or integral with the stator frame intermediate: of the opposite ends of the latter. The opposite ends may be closed with circula-r end plates or housings 3 if desired, althoughthese may` be of skeleton form and serve merely to connect the stator and its elliptical frame With the bearings of the rotating parts. These end plates are illustrated as having shoulders seated within-the frame 1 and rigidly1 secured to the latter by bolts 4. The end plates at their centers carry anti-friction bearings 5 within which a sleeve 6 rotates. Around this sleeve is mount ed another sleeve 7. These sleeves have each a flange member S and 9 Fig. fl between which two sets of radially disposed cylinders 10 and 11 and spacing collar 12 are rigidly secured. The cylinders of each set are illustrated as being held together at their bases by an annular member 13, there being the same'even number of cylinders in each set, these being here illustrated as six in number. Fig. t shows flange members 8 and 9,:spajing collar 12, and annular members 13 of the two sets of cylinders -10 and 11, rigidly held together by bolts 14, the whole constituting the `body of the rotor.

The cylinders of the two sets are arranged in pairs, the two cylinders of each pair being parallel and spaced apart by the collar 12 mounted on the sleeve 7. Within each cylinder is mounted a piston 15 and the two pistonsr O fneafih p-air are. connected by some suitable ormpf spindle'l for supporting a roller The'spindle's extend through longitudinal slots '148 in the cylinder Walls. These rollers are shown asflieing rigid or yintegral 4 with their corresponding spindles and spindlesa'reniounted in bearings fashionedi'nto'tlieV pistons but various other means for connecting each roller to its pair 0trst0nsmisht be .employe/d1 as for instance, the'spindles',might be rigid with the andthe rollerswhave anti-friction e'arings on the' spindles.

The cylinders erlebt siihlength in vespe@ .tothe s'ize'o' 'the elliptical track 2` that they project outwardly beyond the track upon opositel ii'jdj) ,of the latter. Inothe'r Words, tlil-ftrack extends inwardly betweenl the two `sets oteylinders' and there engages with .the lseveral rollers and provides a continuous ath for the latter whereby they are uided 1n and out and effect four strokes o each piston duri-ng each revolution of the engine. Although mechanical means might be employed or maintaining the rollers in contact with the track, in practice, such mechanism may be omitted as the pressure behind the pistons and the action of centrifugal force on them will maintain them in proper engagement with the track when the engine is running.

For distributing the motive fluid to and from the various cylinders, we provide a distributer 19 within the sleeve6 and adapted to be norm-ally held against rotation with the latter. This distributer is shown in the form of a tube or sleeve provided at one end with a radially extending arm or lever 20, Fi 3. This may be retained by any suitab e means, as for instance, by a strap 21 fastened against one of the end plates or housings 3. A pin 22, normally pressed into notches 23 byv the spring 24, prevents the free rotation o f the distributer but ermits of an oscillation through 90 to e ect the reversals of rotation of the engine when desired. The distributer has a pair of inlet ports 25 and a pair of outlet ports 26 in the same transverse plane with a series of radially eXtendin passages 27 in the sleeves 6 and 7. Theseast mentioned passages correspond in number to the number of pairs of cylinders and each passage is disposed between the two cylinders'o'f each pair and has a. flared opening 28 communicating with its correspondin cylinders at their inner or base ends. he distributer has its opposite end portions constitutingsupply and exhaust passages 29 and 30, the former being connected to inlet ports 25 and the latter to the `outlet ports 26. The supply passage 29 may be connected in any suitable manner to a source of motive fluid. This is shown at 31 as being internally threaded to receive a supply pipe. The ports 25 and 26 as Well as the registering `passages 27 may be of-'any suitable size or shape depending upon the character of the motive fluid-'and the portion of the'stroke duringwhichlit is desired to admit motive Huid. Thel ports also have a predetermined relationship to the pin- 22 and thenotches 23 so that they may be located roo halfwaybetween inner and outer dead cen- A ter represented. by the ends of the minor and major axes of the ellipse. The 90O rotation of fthe distributerwill carry each of the ports 25 and 26 to anequal distance onthe opposite side of the. adjacent deadeenter. point for reverse rotation. y i

Inthe drawings we .have made. ne attempt to illustrate details offpackin s, pipe connections, oiling systems, thrott e, or various other details desirableor essential in connec-v tion with a complete machine as they may be provided according. to the size and proportion of the parts, the Acontemplated speed of rotation, and the character ofthe motive fluid to be employed. Suclidetails form no portion of .our present invention.

y It is thought .thatthe operation of the engine will .be clear from the foregoing description, although briely, such .operation is as follows:

Assuming that the distributer 19 isinjthe position illustrated in Fig. 3, that is, withfi the lever 20 in the position shown in full lines, the motor `is set to rotate in an anticlockwise direction. If motive lfluid is admitted througlithe supply passage 29 it will pass in equal -qnantities `through .the branch passages `321 and inlet ports 25 and .opposed radial vpassages 27 to two of the opposed pairs ofl cylinders and4 exert a pressure against the ypistons therein. With the axis of the elliptical track vertical and with the ports 25 facing in opposite directions at an angle of 45 to `the horizontal, the ports25 will come into registry with 'two opposed passages 27 the instant the cylinders pass the horizontal or minor axis of the ellipse and will come out of `registry at the instant the cylinders reach the vertical or lnajor axis. Thus pressure is exerted continuously through one quarter of the revolution. Durby ing the next quarter these two opposed passages 27 will come into registry with the exhaust ports 26 and the pistons will be free to move inwardly and clear the cylinders of the expended motive fluid during the next successive one quarter revolution. Thus during each complete rotation of each opposed pair of cylinders about the axis of the rotor, pressure is directed to give two oposed power strokes to the pistons. It will e noted that during each power stroke the leverage tending to rotate the cylinders by the pressure of the rollers on the elliptical track, will increase throughout the entire stroke. By rotating the distributer through 90 and bringing it to the position shown by the dotted' lines in Fig. 3, the pressure will be applied to the pistons during the other two quarters of the elliptical track and reverse rotation will be secured. As previously indicated, the relative widths of the ports 25 and 26 and the passages 27 may be varied to apply motive Huid to the pistons during less than the complete stroke or beginiing and ending at different points in the cyc e.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a pair of' parallel cylinders extending radially from and axially spaced along an axis of rotation, pistons therein, connections between said pistons intermediate of their ends, and a non circular pathway encircling said axis and engaging with said connections for effecting a reciprocation of said pistons during a relative rotation of said `cylinders and said pathway about said axis ,of rotation.

2. In combination, Van annular stator cask ing presenting a single inwardly yfacing elliptical track, a `sleeve rotatable within said stator, bearings :for said sleeve rigidly connected to the opposite end's of said annular casing, two sets of radially disposed cyllindei'sffwithin;:said casing at Vopposite sidesof said trackand secured to said sleeve, pistons within said cylinders, each of said cylind'ers having a slot' in the side thereof, and each of said pistons having means projecting through the slot of its cylinder `for Vengaging with said track.

3. In combination, an even number of pairs of parallel cylinders radially extending from an axis of rotation, .the cylinders of each pair being. spaced axially along said axis, each pair being caused to perform the saine cycle of operation simultaneously with the pair diametrically opposed to it, pistons within said cylinders, spindles connecting the pistons of each pair intermediate of their ends, a: roller on each spindle, an elliptical` track between said pairs of cylinders and engaging with said roller as said cylinders rotate about said axis.

4. In combination, two sets of cylinders, all of said cylinders extending radially in respect to the same axis of rotation, the cylinders of one set being spaced axially along said axis from those of the other set, the cylinders of the two sets arranged in parallel pairs, pistons within said cylinders, rigid connections between the two pistons of each pair intermediate of their ends, and a noncircular pathway encircling said axis of ro tation between the two sets of cylinders and engaging with said connections.

5. In combination, a plurality of pairs of parallel cylinders extending radially from and equally spaced around an axis of rotation, the two cylinders of each pair being spaced apart axially along said axis, pistons within said c linders, connections between the pistons o each pair, and an elliptical pathway encircling said axis between the cylinders of each pair and having the extreinities of its major axis between the outer ends of said cylinders and said axis, and engaging said connections to eliect a reciprocation of said pistons during a relative rotation of said cylinders and said pathway about said axis of rotation.

6. A rotary engine including an annular stator casing, presenting a single inwardly facing elliptical track, a rotatable sleeve concentric therewith, two sets of radially disposed cylinders carried by thesleeve, the cylinders of the two sets being arranged in pairs upon opposite sides of said elliptical track, each of said cylinders having a slot in the side thereof, pistons within said cylinders, spindles extending through said slots and connectin the pistons together in pairs, a roller on eac spindle for engagement with said track, a normally stationary tubular member extending through said sleeve and having one end thereof constituting a supply passage and the opposite end constituting an exhaust passage, an annular series of ports in the same transverse plane, each alternate port communicating with said supply passage and the remaining portion communicating with said exhaust passage, and an annular series of passages in said sleeve adapted to register with said first mentioned ports during the rotation of said sleeve, each of said passages communicating with both of the cylinders of the corresponding pair atthe inner end thereof, and means for oscillating said tubular member through a limited distance to bring each supply port thereof to either side of the minor axis of said elliptical track.

7. A rotary engine includin an annular stator casing, presenting an elllptical track, a. rotatable sleeve concentric therewith, radially disposed cylinders carried by the sleeve alongside of but in a separate transverse plane from said track, each of said cylinders havingl a longitudinal slot in the side thereof toward said track, pistons Within said cylinders, spindles extending through said slots from said pistons, rollers on said spindles for engagement with said track, a normally stationary member extending through said sleeve and having supply and exhaust passages and an annular series of ports in the same transverse plane, each alternate port communicating with the supply and the remaining ports communicatlng with the exhaust passages, and said sleeve having an annular series of passages adapted to register with said ports during the rotation of said sleeve, whereby said supply and exhaust passages communicate with the cylinders of the diametrically opposite pair simultaneously.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 12th day of September, A. D. 1918.

CHAS. L. RAGOT. LOUIS F. RAGOT.

Goples of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

